NHTSA Heavy Vehicle Safety Research

Past, Present, Future

Robert Kreeb

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Washington, D.C.

2/27/2014 TRB Committee on Truck & Bus Safety 1

Major regulations over last 15 years

• Antilock Brakes

– Final rule published in 1995 requiring ABS on all vehicles over 10,000 lbs GVWR– Effective Dates of : 1997 for truck tractors; 1998 for all other air braked vehicles;

1999 for hydraulic braked vehicles.

• Stopping Distance

– Final rule published July 2009 mandating required stopping distance be reduced by 30% to 250 feet

– Effective Dates: Aug 2011 for typical 6x4 tractors; Aug 2013 for other non-typical tractors

• Stability Control

– NPRM published in May 2012 proposing to require ESC on truck tractors and motorcoaches with GVWR greater than 26,000 lbs

– Agency expects to issue final rule in late-2014

• Several regulations related to motorcoaches

NHTSA Heavy Truck Research Areas

Electronic Stability Control (ESC)

Forward Collision Warning (FCW) and Collision Mitigation Braking (CMB)

Lane Departure Warning (LDW) Systems

U.S. DOT Connected Vehicles Program

Trailer Underride Guards

Truck Cab crashworthiness

Heavy Truck Tires

Crash Avoidance Technologies

Heavy Truck Vehicle Design

Heavy Truck Research-Vehicle Design

Truck Underride

Cab Crashworthiness

Truck Underride• Rear Impact Guards– FMVSS No. 223,224 enacted in 1998– NHTSA reviewing regulation performance.– From 2008-2009 TIFA database, 636 fatalities in light vehicles

• 42% of trailer impacts have underride to windshield or more• 32% of crashes are estimated from 35 mph or less

• Completed UMTRI research papers:– Analysis of Rear Underride in Fatal Truck Crashes– Heavy Vehicle Crash Data Collection and Analysis to Characterize

Rear and Side Underride and Front Override

• Reports are available from the web: p://www.nhtsa.gov/Research/Crashworthiness/TruckUnderride

• NHTSA is in process of reviewing data and considering costs/benefits of potential modifications

Truck Cab Crashworthiness

• MAP-21 Section 32203. “comprehensive analysis on the need for crash worthiness standards on property-carrying commercial motor vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating or gross vehicle weight of at least 26,001 pounds involved in interstate commerce, including an evaluation of the need for roof strength, pillar strength, air bags, and frontal and back wall standards”

• NHTSA has held meetings with: ATA, OOIDA, Truck/Engine Manufacturers Association, Navistar, Daimler Trucks North America, PACCAR, Indiana Mills and Manufacturing Inc., TRW

• Current research:– Reviewing UMTRI report– NHTSA internal Data Study

• Report to Congress with supporting documentation by May 2014

Heavy Truck Occupant Fatalities

NPRM on Heavy Truck Tires Proposal to modify FMVSS

119• Upgrade Endurance test• Add High Speed test • New labeling requirements

for the speed rating of the tire

NPRM published in 2010

Summary of comments:• High Speed Test: Break-in reqt’s should be deleted• “Max Speed” labeling should not be required; (use speed rating symbols)• Endurance Test: 62-68 mph tires should be excluded from upgraded endurance test.

Completed additional endurance testing in 2013 Next Steps: Publish Final Rule

Crash Avoidance Technologies Forward Collision Avoidance & Mitigation (F-CAM) and Lane

Departure Warning (LDW) • Addresses approximately 25% of the total heavy vehicle involved

crashes1

• Approximately 37,000 rear-end crashes (F-CAM)• Approximately 33,000 lane change related crashes (LDW)

Enhanced safety through:• Driver warnings and active vehicle control • Driving performance monitoring, training, and remediation efforts

Early technical challenges are being addressed by suppliers• Newer/better sensor technology and sensor fusion• More refined detection algorithms (e.g., better stopped object

recognition; reduced nuisance alarms)

(1) Based on VOLPE analysis from NHTSA’s IVBSS FOT

Forward Collision Avoidance & Mitigation System Research (FCAM)

Performance Testing and Development of Objective Test Procedures

Crash Warning Interface Guidelines

Field Data Collection Study with VTTI

Cost/Benefit Analysis

NHTSA Agency Decision on these systems for heavy trucks in 2014

Other Rulemaking Areas Event Data Recorders (EDR)

• Respond to NTSB recommendations• Develop performance requirements; test procedures; cost/benefits• Next Steps: Agency decision in 2014 on whether to initiate

rulemaking.• http://www.nhtsa.gov/EDR (for more information)

Speed Limiters

• Granted petition (filed by ATA and Road Safe America) to review merits (Jan 3rd, 2011).

• Request for comment in 2006 (Docket # 2007-26851)• Next Steps: Finalize analyses of costs, benefits, and implementation

issues. Focus on class 7 and 8 trucks and motorcoaches.• Next Steps: NPRM expected in 2014

U.S. DOT Connected Vehicle Program

Creating a Multimodal and Connected Environment

Trucks

Personal Wireless

Devices

Intersection

Control

Drivers/Operators

Connectivity

Borders, Ports,

other Intermodal

Facilities

AutosTraffic

Management

and Traveler

Information

Centers

Buses

Intersection Collision Avoidance

Vehicle Safety Communications

Greater situational awareness

• Your vehicle can “see” nearby vehicles and knows roadway conditions you can’t see

Reduce or mitigate crashes

• Driver Advisories• Driver Warnings

Work ZoneNotification

Contact Information

Robert KreebChiefIntelligent Technologies Research DivisionNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration202-366-0587Robert.kreeb@dot.gov